# LB&SCR B2 class
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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2016}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox locomotive
|image = B2 Bessemer.jpg
|caption = B3 class No. 213 ''Bessemer'' as built
|powertype=Steam
|name = LB&SCR B2, B2X and B3 classes
|designer = [R. J. Billinton](/source/R._J._Billinton)
|builder = [Brighton Works](/source/Brighton_Works)
|builddate = 1895–1898
|rebuilddate = 1907–1916
|totalproduction = 25
|whytetype = [4-4-0](/source/4-4-0)
|uicclass=2'Bn
|gauge = {{Track gauge|uksg|allk=on}}
|leadingdiameter = {{convert|3|ft|6|in|m|3|abbr=on}}
|driverdiameter = {{convert|6|ft|9|in|m|3|abbr=on}}
|length =
|locotenderweight = B2: {{convert|76|LT|156|Lcwt|abbr=on}}
B3: {{convert|78|LT|4|Lcwt|abbr=on}}
|fueltype = [Coal](/source/Coal)
|fuelcap =
|watercap =
|cylindercount = Two, inside
|cylindersize = {{convert|18|x|26|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}
|firearea =
|boilerpressure = {{convert|160|psi|bar MPa|2|abbr=on}}
|tractiveeffort = B2 {{convert|14144|lbf|kN|1|abbr=on}}
B2X {{convert|15028|lbf|kN|1|abbr=on}}
|operatorclass = B2, B3, B2x
|withdrawndate = 1929–1933
|disposition = All [Scrap](/source/Scrap)ped
}}
The [London, Brighton and South Coast Railway](/source/London%2C_Brighton_and_South_Coast_Railway) (LB&SCR) '''B2 class''' was a class of small [4-4-0](/source/4-4-0) steam locomotives intended for express passenger work on the LB&SCR [London to Portsmouth line](/source/Arun_Valley_Line). They were designed by [R. J. Billinton](/source/R._J._Billinton) and built at [Brighton works](/source/Brighton_railway_works) from 1895 to 1897. They proved to be reliable locomotives but barely adequate for the heaviest trains and acquired the nickname ''Grasshoppers''. As a result the '''B3''' class was developed from the B2, and the '''B2X''' class was later rebuilt from these locomotives with larger boilers.
==History==
When [R. J. Billinton](/source/R._J._Billinton) took over as [chief mechanical engineer](/source/chief_mechanical_engineer) of the LB&SCR in 1890, following the sudden death of [William Stroudley](/source/William_Stroudley), the [London to Brighton](/source/Brighton_Main_Line) trains were adequately served by Stroudley's [Gladstone class](/source/LB%26SCR_B1_class) but the lighter Portsmouth expresses were beginning to struggle behind his [G class](/source/LB%26SCR_G_class) singles. Billinton therefore designed a small [4-4-0](/source/4-4-0), specifically for these services. However, during the course of 1892-1893 the London-to-Brighton trains began to increase in weight, and the board of governors of the railway agreed to invest money in larger [turntables](/source/Turntable_(rail)) and so Billinton was able to enlarge his design further to make them more generally useful.[{{cite book | last = Bradley | first = D.L. | title = The locomotives of the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway: Part 2| publisher = The Railway Correspondence and Travel Society| year = 1972| pages = 109 | isbn = 0-901115-21-5}}]
Three locomotives appeared in 1895, with a further eight in 1896 and fourteen in 1897. They were named after famous politicians, bankers and railway engineers. The new design was clearly influenced by the locomotives of [Samuel Waite Johnson](/source/Samuel_Waite_Johnson) on the [Midland Railway](/source/Midland_Railway), for whom Billinton had previously worked, and were the first [LB&SCR](/source/London%2C_Brighton_and_South_Coast_Railway) locomotives to have leading [bogie](/source/bogie) wheels. It incorporated Billinton's [C2 class](/source/LB%26SCR_C2_class) [boiler](/source/locomotive_boiler). They proved to be adequate for the lightly loaded [Portsmouth](/source/Portsmouth) express trains but barely so for heavier trains. They also tended to ride unevenly and consequently acquired the nickname of ''grasshoppers'' by their crews.
===B3 and B2X classes===
As a result of the complaints about the use of the class on the Brighton line, Billinton fitted the last locomotive in the class No. 213 ''Bessemer'', with a larger boiler when new, which thereafter became known as the ''B3 class''. This caused a slight improvement in performance but not one significant enough to alter the entire class at that time. However, once the original boilers were worn out, it became more of an economic proposition to do so. Thus between October 1907 and 1910, Billinton's successor [Douglas Earle Marsh](/source/D._E._Marsh) rebuilt the entire class (including 213 Bessemer) with the improved boiler used on his [C3 class](/source/LB%26SCR_C3_class), thereby creating the ''B2X class''.
The rebuilt locomotives were a significant improvement in both looks and performance and were used on the heaviest expresses to [Portsmouth](/source/Portsmouth) and [Hastings](/source/Hastings) and semi-fast trains on the [Brighton](/source/Brighton) line.
=== Post-grouping ===
All 25 locomotives were still in regular use in December 1922, at the [grouping](/source/Railways_Act_1921) of the railways of southern England to form the [Southern Railway](/source/Southern_Railway_(Great_Britain)). The class continued to find useful work on secondary passenger services between London and the south coast until 1929, when the impending electrification of the Brighton line began to make them redundant. They were thus all withdrawn between June 1929 and March 1933, and none have survived in preservation.
===Accidents and incidents===
*On 9 July 1928, B2X locomotive No. B210 was in a sidelong collision with an [electric multiple unit](/source/electric_multiple_unit) at {{rws|London Bridge}} due to the driver misreading signals. Two people were killed and nine were injured, six seriously.[{{cite book |title=Southern Electric 1909-1979 |first=G. T. |last=Moody |orig-year=1957 |year=1979 |edition=Fifth |publisher=Ian Allan Ltd |location=Shepperton |page=37 |isbn=0-7110-0924-4}}]
==Locomotive summary==
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="text-align:center; clear:both;"
|-
! LB&SCR no. !! Build date !! Rebuilt B2x !! LBSCR name !! Renamed/date !! SR no. !! Date withdrawn
|-
| 171 || {{dts|1897|6}} || {{dts|1910|8}} ||''[Nevill](/source/Henry_Nevill%2C_3rd_Marquess_of_Abergavenny)'' || - || 2171 || {{dts|1931|5}}
|-
| 201 || {{dts|1897|1}} || {{dts|1909|1}} ||''[Rosebery](/source/Archibald_Primrose%2C_5th_Earl_of_Rosebery)'' || - || 2201 || {{dts|1930}}
|-
| 202 || {{dts|1897|2}} || {{dts|1909}} ||''[Trevithick](/source/Richard_Trevithick)'' || - || 2202 || {{dts|1931|9}}
|-
| 203 || {{dts|1897|3}} || {{dts|1909|2}} ||''[Henry Fletcher](/source/Sir_Henry_Aubrey-Fletcher%2C_4th_Baronet)'' || - || 2203 || {{dts|1930|10}}
|-
| 204 || {{dts|1897|3}} || {{dts|1911|3}} ||''[Telford](/source/Thomas_Telford)'' || - || 2204 || {{dts|1929|7}}
|-
| 205 || {{dts|1897|4}} || {{dts|1910|3}} ||''[Hackworth](/source/Timothy_Hackworth)'' || - || 2205 || {{dts|1931|11}}
|-
| 206 || {{dts|1897|4}} || {{dts|1909|1}} ||''[Smeaton](/source/John_Smeaton)'' || - || 2206 || {{dts|1933|3}}
|-
| 207 || {{dts|1897|6}} || {{dts|1909|7}} ||''[Brunel](/source/Brunel)'' || - || 2207 || {{dts|1931|10}}
|-
| 208 || {{dts|1897|8}} || {{dts|1911|1}} ||''[Abercorn](/source/James_Hamilton%2C_2nd_Duke_of_Abercorn)'' || - || 2208 || {{dts|1929|6}}
|-
| 209 || {{dts|1897|9}} || {{dts|1913|4}} ||''[Wolfe Barry](/source/John_Wolfe_Barry)'' || - || 2209 || {{dts|1930|9}}
|-
| 210 || {{dts|1897|10}} || {{dts|1909|2}} ||''[Fairbairn](/source/William_Fairbairn)'' || - || 2210 || {{dts|1931|7}}
|-
| 211 || {{dts|1897|11}} || {{dts|1910|6}} ||''[Whitworth](/source/Joseph_Whitworth)'' || - || 2211 || {{dts|1930|10}}
|-
| 212 || {{dts|1898|1}} || {{dts|1910|2}} ||''[Armstrong](/source/William_Armstrong%2C_1st_Baron_Armstrong)'' || - || 2212 || {{dts|1930|7}}
|-
| 213 || {{dts|1898|1}} || {{dts|1908|11}} ||''[Bessemer](/source/Henry_Bessemer)'' || - || 2213 || {{dts|1932|4}}
|-
| 314 || {{dts|1895|06}} || {{dts|1911|04}} ||''[Charles C. Macrae](/source/Charles_C._Macrae)'' || - || 2314 || {{dts|1930|04}}
|-
| 315 || {{dts|1895|06}} || {{dts|1909|03}} ||''[Duncannon](/source/Edward_Ponsonby%2C_8th_Earl_of_Bessborough)'' || ''[J. Gay](/source/J._Gay)'' || 2315 || {{dts|1933|04}}
|-
| 316 || {{dts|1895|06}} || {{dts|1916|7}} ||''[Goldsmid](/source/Julian_Goldsmid)'' || - || 2316 || {{dts|1930}}
|-
| 317 || {{dts|1896|06}} || {{dts|1908|10}} ||''[Gerald Loder](/source/Gerald_Loder)'' || - || 2317 || {{dts|1929|06}}
|-
| 318 || {{dts|1896|06}} || {{dts|1910|7}} ||''[Rothschild](/source/Nathan_Rothschild%2C_1st_Baron_Rothschild)'' || - || 2318 || {{dts|1930|07}}
|-
| 319 || {{dts|1896|09}} || {{dts|1914|6}} ||''[John Fowler](/source/Sir_John_Fowler%2C_1st_Baronet)'' || ''[Leconfield](/source/Charles_Wyndham%2C_3rd_Baron_Leconfield)'' || 2319 || {{dts|1930|04}}
|-
| 320 || {{dts|1896|09}} || {{dts|1910|7}} ||''[Rastrick](/source/John_Urpeth_Rastrick)'' || - || 2320 || {{dts|1932}}
|-
| 321 || {{dts|1896|09}} || {{dts|1907|10}} ||''[John Rennie](/source/John_Rennie_the_Younger)'' || - || 2321 || {{dts|1930|9}}
|-
| 322 || {{dts|1896|09}} || {{dts|1908|9}} ||''[G.P. Bidder](/source/George_Parker_Bidder)'' || - || 2322 || {{dts|1931|6}}
|-
| 323 || {{dts|1896|12}} || {{dts|1908|9}} ||''[William Cubitt](/source/William_Cubitt)'' || - || 2323 || {{dts|1932|11}}
|-
| 324 || {{dts|1897|1}} || {{dts|1913|5}} ||''[John Hawkshaw](/source/John_Hawkshaw)'' || - || 2324 || {{dts|1932}}
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{LB&SCR locomotives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:LbandScr B2 Class}}
Category:4-4-0 locomotives
Category:2′B n2 locomotives
B2
Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1895
Category:Scrapped locomotives
Category:Standard-gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain
Category:Passenger locomotives in the United Kingdom
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [LB&SCR B2 class](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LB%26SCR_B2_class) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LB%26SCR_B2_class?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.